Threat Actors Database

SilkSpecter is a Chinese financially motivated threat actor that orchestrates phishing campaigns targeting e-commerce shoppers, particularly during peak shopping seasons. They exploit legitimate payment processors like Stripe to exfiltrate Cardholder Data and Personally Identifiable Information through convincing fake e-commerce sites created using the oemapps SaaS platform. Their phishing infrastructure relies on Chinese-hosted CDN servers and utilizes deceptive elements such as the "trusttollsvg" icon and a "/homeapi/collect" endpoint to track victim interactions. Analysts have linked SilkSpecter to over 89 IP addresses and more than 4,000 domain names associated with phishing activities, predominantly using .top, .shop, .store, and .vip TLDs.

TA455 is an Iranian APT group targeting the aerospace industry through a campaign known as the “Iranian Dream Job Campaign,” utilizing deceptive job offers to lure victims. They employ spearphishing tactics with malicious ZIP files containing the executable “secur32[.]dll” and disguise their C2 communications within the traffic of reputable services like Cloudflare and GitHub. The group intentionally mimics the TTPs of the North Korean Lazarus group to mislead investigators and complicate attribution. Their multi-stage infection strategy enhances the likelihood of success while evading detection.

Kairos is an extortion group that emerged with a data-leak site on 13 November 2024, claiming attacks against six organizations, primarily in the US healthcare sector. The group is financially motivated, demanding Bitcoin payments for the secure deletion of stolen files and threatening to leak data if victims do not comply. While no specific TTPs are publicly known, common techniques among extortion groups include phishing and scanning for exposed internet-facing devices. There is a potential link to a user on a Russian-language cybercriminal forum who shares a post-exploitation script, but attribution remains uncertain.

BrazenBamboo is a Chinese state-affiliated threat actor known for developing the LIGHTSPY, DEEPDATA, and DEEPPOST malware families. Their infrastructure includes capabilities for zero-day exploitation, specifically targeting vulnerabilities like FortiClient, and employs a command-and-control architecture that supports multi-platform operations. Volexity's analysis indicates that BrazenBamboo is a well-resourced entity with a focus on domestic targets, utilizing custom analyst software to manage data collected from their malware. The ongoing development of their malware families is evidenced by the timestamps associated with their latest payloads.

Water Barghest is a cybercriminal group that has compromised over 20,000 IoT devices by October 2024, monetizing them through a residential proxy marketplace. They automate the entire process from identifying vulnerable devices using n-day and zero-day exploits to deploying Ngioweb malware and selling the compromised assets. Their operations include leveraging Ubiquiti EdgeRouter devices for espionage and utilizing automated scripts to exploit vulnerabilities within minutes of discovery. Water Barghest has maintained a low profile for years, but their activities gained attention due to the deployment of a zero-day vulnerability against Cisco IOS XE devices in October 2023.

Gorilla is a threat-actor operating a DoS-as-a-service service controlled on Telegram.

TAG-100 is a cyber-espionage APT that targets government and private sector organizations globally, exploiting vulnerabilities in internet-facing devices such as Citrix NetScaler and F5 BIG-IP for initial access. The group employs open-source tools like Pantegana and SparkRAT for persistence and post-exploitation activities, including credential theft and email data exfiltration. TAG-100 has compromised entities in at least ten countries, including two Asia-Pacific intergovernmental organizations, and focuses on sectors like education, finance, and local government. Their operations highlight the challenges of attribution due to the use of off-the-shelf tools and techniques that overlap with other state-sponsored groups.

INDOHAXSEC TEAM is an Indonesian group that claims to have developed a web-based version of WannaCry, asserting the ability to encrypt websites and demand Bitcoin as ransom. However, their technical capabilities remain uncertain, as creating ransomware of this scale requires significant expertise. The group's claims may be exaggerated for attention, and verified evidence is needed to assess their true capabilities.

Massgrave is a hacking group that has developed a method to bypass Microsoft's software licensing for Windows and Office, enabling permanent activation of versions from Windows Vista to Windows 11. They are known for creating effective scripts for software activation, which are distributed through an unofficial repository at massgrave.dev. The group claims their exploit supports volume activation via the Key Management Services model and has gained traction within the piracy scene. Reports indicate that their tools may be used by unauthorized individuals, including Microsoft support agents, raising legal and security concerns.

Funksec is a newly identified extortion group that has claimed 11 victims across various sectors, including media, IT, and education, operating a Tor-based DLS to centralize its ransomware activities. The group advertises a free DDoS tool and may develop its own ransomware binary, indicating significant technical capability. The DLS was likely created in late November to early December 2024, with the first advertisement titled “Funksec Ransomware” posted on 3 December 2024. Currently, there is limited publicly available information on Funksec's TTPs, and it is not known to be associated with any other threat groups.

Storm-0940 is a Chinese threat actor active since at least 2021, known for gaining initial access through password spray and brute-force attacks, as well as exploiting network edge applications. Microsoft has observed Storm-0940 utilizing valid credentials obtained from CovertNetwork-1658's password spray operations, indicating a close operational relationship between the two. Once inside a victim environment, Storm-0940 has been seen leveraging compromised credentials for further malicious activities. Additionally, Storm-0940 has employed botnets, such as Quad7, to facilitate password spraying attacks.

Anonymous KSA is a Saudi hacking group that has executed cyber attacks targeting Indian institutions, including a significant breach of UIDAI's data storage units, leading to access to sensitive information and system disruption. The group claims these actions are in response to India's normalization of ties with Israel and its treatment of Palestinians. They have called for support for the Palestinian cause and accountability for the damage caused by their operations. The group's TTPs include targeting government agencies and leveraging public sentiment to justify their actions.

Aggressive Inventory Zombies is a threat actor involved in a large-scale phishing and pig-butchering network targeting retail brands and cryptocurrency users. They create fraudulent sites using a popular website template that scrapes product details from legitimate e-commerce platforms and integrate chat services for phishing. Financial ties to India have been identified, and collaboration with Stark Industries has led to the dismantling of parts of their infrastructure, revealing the network's breadth. AIZ is also linked to Entropy ransomware infections, which were preceded by detections of Cobalt Strike beacons and Dridex malware.

UNC2465 is a threat actor known for deploying the SMOKEDHAM .NET backdoor and DARKSIDE ransomware, utilizing TTPs such as phishing, Trojanized software installers, and supply chain attacks. They have employed the NGROK utility to expose internal services and facilitate lateral movement within victim environments. UNC2465 has also leveraged tools like UltraVNC, Cobalt Strike BEACON, and conducted credential harvesting via LSASS memory dumping. Their operations have included extortion tactics through a leaks website over TOR, applying pressure on victims by releasing stolen data.

LIMINAL PANDA is a China-nexus APT that targets telecommunications entities, employing custom malware and publicly available tools for covert access, C2, and data exfiltration. The adversary demonstrates extensive knowledge of telecom networks, utilizing GSM protocols to retrieve mobile subscriber information and call metadata. LIMINAL PANDA exploits trust relationships and security gaps between providers to access core infrastructure, indicating a focus on SIGINT collection rather than financial gain. Their intrusion activity has primarily affected telecom providers in southern Asia and Africa, with potential for broader targeting based on network configurations.

ALTOUFAN TEAM is a politically motivated hacktivist group with anti-Zionism, anti-monarchy, and pro-14-February movement sentiments. They have targeted government agencies and organizations in Bahrain and Israel, claiming to support political causes in the region. The group has employed techniques such as credential theft to compromise systems, as demonstrated by their attack on Bahrain's Social Insurance Organization. ALTOUFAN maintains a presence on social media platforms to disseminate their messages and showcase their activities.

UAC-0185 has been active since at least 2022, primarily targeting Ukrainian defense organizations through credential theft via messaging apps like Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp, as well as military systems such as DELTA, TENETA, and Kropyva. The group employs phishing attacks, often impersonating the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (UUIE), to gain unauthorized access to the PCs of defense sector employees. They utilize custom tools, including MESHAGENT and UltraVNC, to facilitate their operations. Their activities are mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, focusing on tactics related to credential theft and remote access.

WASSONITE is a North Korea-linked APT that has targeted industrial sectors, including electric generation, nuclear energy, manufacturing, and research entities in India, South Korea, and Japan since at least 2018. The group employs DTrack RAT for remote access, Mimikatz for credential capture, and various system tools for lateral movement and file transfers. WASSONITE has been observed using nuclear energy-themed spear phishing lures to deploy the AppleSeed backdoor, which can take screenshots, log keystrokes, and execute commands from a C2 server. Their operations focus on initial access, reconnaissance, and data collection without demonstrating disruptive capabilities.

Natohub is a hacker who claimed to have stolen 42,000 documents from the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization and is offering the data for sale on underground forums. The compromised documents allegedly contain personal records of ICAO staff and others associated with the agency. While ICAO is investigating the potential breach, Natohub has also made unverified claims about accessing personal data on thousands of UN delegates. The actor's track record of leaks is limited, raising questions about the credibility of their assertions.

CoughingDown is a threat group attributed to various cyber campaigns, including the deployment of the EAGERBEE backdoor, which utilizes service manipulation and privilege escalation techniques. The group has been linked to malware infrastructure that abuses legitimate services like MSDTC, IKEEXT, and SessionEnv to load malicious DLLs, including oci.dll. Analysis of supply-chain attacks, particularly involving Trojanized packages, has revealed similarities between CoughingDown malware and post-compromise tools used in these incidents. Evidence such as consistent service creation and C2 domain overlap further supports the connection between EAGERBEE and CoughingDown.